Louisiana - State #40

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Something has definitely changed since last April. Birthdays. Doodle is 4 instead of 3, Little Man is 6.5 instead of 5.5 and Peanut is 8.5 instead of 7.5. Dramatic changes are afoot in our family car. With nearly 8 hours on the road today, including stops, Grandma and I enjoyed a mostly peaceful ride. Hallelujah!

Blue Duck Cafe in

Lake Charles, LA was a deliciously authentic introduction to Cajun food for the kids. With Voodoo hot sauce on the table, I also gave an unexpected lesson on Voodoo dolls and black magic -- the entire time thinking about that Gilligan's Island episode. Doodle explained afterward that good magic was the Cinderella kind of magic. Anyway, eat there if you ever come this way. The chicken-andouille gumbo was perfect.

Somehow we ended up in New Orleans for Jazz Fest weekend; call it a Happy Accident. Our hotel is a block from Bourbon Street and while we waited in line at Felix's for dinner, I took each kid individually on a walk to kill some time.

Doodle liked the balconies with their colorful lights and getting strands of beads.

Peanut was self-righteous about the cigar smoke she was forced to breathe, but interested in the blues music and especially pleasant once she got her lovely butterfly mask.

Alas, our Little Man focused on the music and the street performing tap dancers, until he clued into all the other things Bourbon St. has to offer: boobs and bums. At first I heard him burst out laughing, and then he got terribly embarrassed asking WHY those girls were wearing their underwear?! I finally said, "Well, I told you about the Crazy Cajuns!" and rushed us back.

Our food arrived just as we returned, and we happily tasted the alligator nuggets. I have proof that they don't taste "just like chicken". These kids really don't like chicken fingers, or any fried food for that matter, but they gobbled up the alligator! (Except for Little Man who wouldn't even try them.)